


drunk dancing in the dark.

by yae



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Angst, Dinner, F/M, Romance, Slow Dancing, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-03
Updated: 2019-08-03
Packaged: 2020-07-30 14:09:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,801
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20098450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yae/pseuds/yae
Summary: i created the skies above and the hells below, the creatures that graze between. all for you.—————suyiketu is brought to amaurot for a dinner date with emet-selch.





	1. beginning.

**Author's Note:**

  * For [useikun](https://archiveofourown.org/users/useikun/gifts).

Suyiketu winced as she held out the dress in front of her. Emet-Selch wanted her to wear... _this?_ Yes, she did enjoy the occasional dressing up, but... The woman groaned and tossed the dress away, folding her arms and shaking her head. Really, first he whisks her away to some unknown city after an incredibly dramatic entrance and exit... Then _humbly_ requests she wear this random dress! She had no idea what was going on in that centuries old brain of his. Maybe it was short-circuiting.

She smirked, then scoffed, yet... Her eyes slowly went to the dress that was crumpled on the floor. Something within urged her. To wear the dress. To humor him. Suyiketu placed her hand over her chest, letting out a ‘tsk’ of annoyance. She quickly shed her armor, most of it at the very least, and picked up the dress once more. The woman threw the dress over her head, wiggling and stretching her arms to pull it on.

_Sshhrripp..._

Oh. Oh no. She still didn’t have the damn dress fully on but she knew she’d ripped it. Her horns were a real hazard sometimes... No, no, it is the dress’s fault. It has no business being relatively form-fitting like it is. Suyiketu continued to wriggle, growing more aggressive and ripping more holes into the dress. Finally, she popped her head out through the neck hole with a gasp and filtered her arms through the sleeves.

Mirror, mirror... Ah, there.

Suyiketu waddled to the mirror, wanting nothing more than to completely tear the dress off. Well...at least it looked good on her. So she thought, at least. The rips and tears accentuated it even! She moved around a bit more to get used to the feeling. The more she looked at herself, the more confident she became. She grinned madly and flexed her arm with a harrumph of self-assurance.

_Ssrrrp!_

Ah, shite.

Just as jarring as the first time, Suyiketu stared in shock as the sleeve awkwardly became unstrung and tore in half. She had really just flexed and ripped a sleeve, hadn’t she? Whatever. Screw this. She wasn’t going to keep Emet-Selch waiting any longer. Suyiketu grabbed her things and stomped out of the room, making her way with the vague directions the Ascian had given her.


	2. middle.

“Ascian.”

“Ahh, Suyiketu! ...Ahem.”

There was a moment’s silence as Emet-Selch cleared his throat and examined the damage she had suffered to the dress. Suyiketu scoffed and folded her arms again, growling,

“Your stupid dress seems made for someone that isn’t me. What the hells is this?” She motioned to the layout before her.

Emet-Selch rubbed his temple before shaking his head. “It was made for _you_, my dear. Not this _shard_ of you.” He sighed and then muttered beneath his breath, “One of your favorites out of all my creations, how you once treasured it...”

He gave a half-hearted shrug before raising his head and speaking clearly once again. “What does it look like? It is clearly a well-adorned table...or does the food not suit your taste?” Emet-Selch motioned for her to come closer.

Suyiketu narrowed her eyes but followed along, stepping closer with strong apprehension and distrust. She never removed her gaze from Emet-Selch, even as he pulled a chair out for her and pushed it in once she sat. Only once he had taken his place across from her at the table did she finally take in the ensemble before her. An entire buffet of the foods she adored, whether meat or vegetation. She immediately grabbed a fork, sinking it within the steak directly in front of her and lifting it with ease in order to take an enormous bite.

Although still with her mouth full, she grumbled, “Better not be poisoned. I’ll kill you if it is.”

“If I had wanted to kill you, it would certainly be done with already. Besides, poison is dreadfully slow sometimes... Boring.” He uncorked a bottle and poured its contents into a glass for her.

“What’s that.” Suyiketu spoke with ease despite shoveling food in her mouth.

“It is a pomegranate wine. My own making, might I add. Perhaps it would wash things down and suit your tastes at the same time...”

He trailed off as he watched Suyiketu sit, legs spread, plate in her lap and eating his food like it was her last meal. How... romantic. He poured wine for himself before drinking from the glass and then staring into it. Emet-Selch lightly swished the liquid inside.  
The pomegranate... An item once private, now a delicacy most of the shards enjoyed. How the times had unfortunately changed. It was a gift most precious that was now being sullied by ghosts sharing its bounty without any idea or care...

“Lighten up.” Suyiketu snapped at him, taking a sip of the wine. “Hm. Good.”

“What?”

“Wine’s good. But you meant for this to be... something, right? Something that isn’t depressive. So stick that smarmy shite-eating grin back on your face. It’s weird seeing you look so gloomily thoughtful anyway...” She looked away, downing more wine and eating more food.

Emet-Selch was surprised for several moments, only able to stare as she graduated to propping her feet up on the table. He then slowly smiled again, taking another drink from his glass. Perhaps she _was_ worthy of his gift, even in this state. The man sat in silence, drinking and enjoying the odd form of happiness that enveloped him as he watched her work away. He paused when Suyiketu held her glass out to him.

“More.” She demanded.

“Of course...” He replied with honey, pouring another glass for the both of them.

Two turned into three glasses, onward until the last drop from the wine bottle had fallen into Emet-Selch’s glass. Suyiketu sighed in satisfaction and Emet-Selch hummed lightly as he took another drink. He quickly stopped as an idea filled his head and he set his glass down. The Ascian snapped his fingers and a faint melody began to surround them. He then stood and approached Suyiketu, bowing and holding his hand out.

“Will you allow me a dance?” Perhaps he was a bit influenced by the alcohol. He certainly had not had it in millennia. No matter what was now causing his actions, he felt... happy. Even still...

“No. Not done eating.” Suyiketu grumbled, fork in her mouth.

Ugh. “I insist, my dear.”

“So do I.”

Still stubborn, just as she always had been. He snapped his fingers again to promptly make the fork disappear before smiling at Suyiketu. The woman stared into his eyes as she picked up the steak with her bare fist and continued. An absolute little monster this woman was...! Emet-Selch grabbed the plate and set it on the table, ignoring her angered shouting. He then grabbed her within the same breath, pulling her away into the clearing.

Perhaps she, too, was affected by the wine’s sweet sway. For despite her initial resistance, she sighed deeply and allowed him to twirl her around in a dance. It wasn’t before long, however, that she grew stagnant and took hold of him and twirled _him_ around. She led their steps to the music before dipping him, grabbing his leg and pulling it up. Suyiketu leaned further in to his face and smirked, their lips close to touching.

“If I have no say in refusing to dance... then you have no say in who leads this dance.”

They remained like this for a few moments until Suyiketu realized just how close their faces were. She lightly blushed and huffed, yanking him up and continuing to dance...


	3. end.

Suyiketu leaned against the railing, her arms hanging off the edge. She stared out at the entirety of the city— Amaurot, she had learned it was called —and soaked in the sight. When she first came here, she was angry and unsure. Yet she could see now that Amaurot was... peaceful. Serene. It evoked an unknown emotion inside of her. How she thought she had rid herself of feelings long ago... She placed her hand on her chest with a sigh.

“Something the matter?”

A gloved hand appeared within her vision, clutching at the railing. Suyiketu looked up at Emet-Selch, blinking at his expression. Peaceful. Serene. Her heart skipped a beat yet she shook her head.

“Nothing. Simply thinking is all...”

“About?”

“...Amaurot and... this evening we have had. Together.” Ugh... how could she explain? “It all feels... I don’t know. It feels, that’s it.”

He was looking out at Amaurot now, his peaceful expression turning to one that was bittersweet. “Surely you can tell me more...”

“If you haven’t noticed, I am not good with words... Emet-Selch. Especially in regards to you.” She scowled at him.

His gaze snapped back to her again. His name, she...

She shook her head again. “Long had I thought I had no more feelings left to give or care about... yet I’m here. On the balcony of a building within a mysterious city that makes me feel... something.” Suyiketu scanned the city once more, falling silent. Before long, a smile adorned her face and a scoff escaped her lips. She waved her hand dismissively. “Hells... Alive. Think that’s what I could be feeling. Something like that. Don’t suppose some timeless, ageless, immortal being like you could understand.” Suyiketu covered her mouth ever so slightly and laughed.

How Emet-Selch’s heart fluttered. Her smile and laughter set such a fire. He knew, yes, he knew... He felt it, too. He felt it now. Despite that... it _hurt._ It felt agonizing. A damning weight on his shoulders that she would never know how to feel more truly alive. She would never know how to be whole again. Never know Amaurot, her creations, her true friends...

She would never know how to be Persephone again.

He was taken from his thoughts when Suyiketu gently placed her hand on top of his, still looking out at Amaurot.

...

It was okay, though. Maybe he could understand humans after all. “Hope”, whatever it was called. She felt alive now and that meant something to him. It wasn’t real, wasn’t true by his terms, but... it was all he had. He wanted nothing more than to cling to it. This is what hope meant, right? To want so badly. To dream. To... hope.

He switched the positioning of their hands so he could gently squeeze hers in his palm. Right now, it was the same as back then. Hades holding Persephone’s hand as they stood at their favorite spot, overlooking their wondrous city. The favored pomegranates, painstakingly made for her. The treasured dress worn in private, away from prying Amaurotine eyes.

Nothing had changed. They were still Hades and Persephone.

And there was nothing Hades could do except hope.


End file.
